NFL - Dublin 3-20 Roscommon 0-07

The gulf in class between certain NFL teams was highlighted on Saturday the 5th as Dublin hammered Roscommon & recorded their biggest league winning margin in many years. Dublin entered the game with an experimental lineup, welcoming back the Vincents players Michael Savage, Ger Brennan, Dermot Connolly & Tomas Quinn. The Rossies started impressively & opened the scoring but it wasn't too long ebfore the Dubs strength, power & skill shone through. Add to this two fortunate 1st half goals, the 1st when Conal Keaney latched on to a pointed shot that rebounded off the upright & the 2nd when what looked like a shot for a point by Diarmuid Connolly looped over the keepers head & to the net. During this period the Dublin forward line ran the westerners ragged with scores from the very impressive MacManamon & his colleagues leaving the Dubs home & dry by half time. There were some worries for the Metropolitans with Shane Ryan limping off after 30 mins although even then Paul Flynn entered the fray & did his case for future selection enormous good.

The perceived 2nd half collapse of the Dubs never materialised, where are the journos now?, as they pressed on with Keaney & Brogan again to the fore. And after a period of prolonged pressure & a quick move & some fine passing Mossy Quinn fired home & send the fans away licking their lips for the forthcoming games against Armagh & Meath. promotion remains a real prospect.

Dublin - Michael Savage; Derek Murray, Ross McConnell (Kevin Nolan (60)), Stephen O'Shaughnessy; Barry Cahill, Ger Brennan, Paddy Andrews; Ciaran Whelan (0-01) (Darren Magee (50)), Shane Ryan (Paul Flynn (30)); Bernard Brogan (0-03) (Eoghan O'Gara (65) (0-01)), Alan Brogan (0-01) (Tiernan Diamond (55)), Brendan McManamon (0-03); Diarmuid Connolly (1-03), Conal Keaney (1-05), Tomas Quinn (1-03).

ROSCOMMON - G Claffey; A Murtagh, A McDermott, S McDermott; D Hoey (D Keenan (30)(0-01)), E Kenny (P O'Connor (45) (S O'Neill (60))), J Tiernan; K Mannion, S O'Neill (F Dolan (35) (0-01)); M Finneran, G Cox, M O'Carroll; G Heneghan (0-03)(J McKeague (50)), J Dunning, S Kilbride (0-02).